Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode: Vicky Tsai Wants You to Think About Your “Joyspan” and to Fight Burnout With Balance

Release Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Guest: Vicky Tsai, Founder of Tatcha

Episode Overview

This episode features a candid, deep-dive conversation with Vicky Tsai, founder of Tatcha. Returning for her second visit on Gloss Angeles, Vicky opens up about evolving as a founder after Tatcha’s acquisition by Unilever, her fight against burnout, the origins of her focus on “joyspan” and longevity, and the science- and purpose-driven approach behind Tatcha’s new Longevity Serum. The hosts and Vicky discuss the pressures of the beauty industry, Asian and indie beauty’s rise, live shopping trends, and the intersection of physical and mental well-being in both skincare and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life After Acquisition: Founder Identity & Burnout

• Still at the Helm: Contrary to assumptions, Vicky remains deeply involved in Tatcha post-acquisition and is committed to maintaining the brand’s DNA and product integrity.
  • “You are the DNA of the brand.” (Kirbie, 02:52)
• Slowing Down & Recovery: Vicky reflects on scaling back from her relentless 80–100 hour weeks, noting it took nearly four years to recover physically and mentally from that lifestyle.
  • "It's taken me a few years to like downregulate my nervous system." (Vicky, 01:47)

2. Founder Wellness: Tools & Lessons Learned

• On Staying Grounded: Vicky’s three must-haves for day-to-day stability as a founder:
  • Her phone
  • An old-school paper calendar for intentional time planning
  • Aromatherapy for groundedness amidst stress
    • "That's our most precious resource." (Vicky, 04:22)
• The Real Advice to Other Founders:
  • Prioritize well-being over hustle culture
  • “If I could do anything over again, I would have actually treated my body with more respect. I would have cared about my mental health instead of just treating myself like a rental car.” (Vicky, 05:51)

3. Zen & Survival: The Real Story Behind Her Calm

• Behind the Calm: Vicky addresses her famed “zen energy,” attributing much of it, early on, to disassociation from trauma, hardship, and a toxic workplace, not innate tranquility.
  • "My coping mechanism, my survival mechanism at the time was just to disappear behind a smile." (Vicky, 08:00)
• Healing & Therapy: Post-2019, Vicky sought therapy to lead authentically, especially after stepping back into the CEO role during COVID and amidst AAPI hate.
  • “I wanted to make sure I showed up as the leader my company needed... even though inside I was burning with rage and grief.” (Vicky, 10:17)

4. Building Tatcha: Authenticity Against the Odds

• Launching with Purpose: Tatcha was never a cynical business play; it was a means to preserve and share the healing practices Vicky discovered in Japan for herself and others.
  • “All I can do is do the truth... I wanted a way to keep this thing in my life that was healing me and to share it with people who might need it too.” (Vicky, 11:34)
• Facing Skepticism: Industry gatekeepers told her, bluntly, “Asian beauty is not aspirational in the US,” yet now she’s “so proud” of the diversity in today’s landscape. (Vicky, 10:56; 13:16)

5. Retail Wars: QVC, Sephora, and True Partnership

• QVC vs Sephora: QVC provided early awareness but with high risks, while long-term exclusivity and deep relationship-building with Sephora enabled strategic growth.
  • “The best partner that we've ever had, hands down, is Sephora... They incubate you, they care about the founders.” (Vicky, 15:46)
  • Advice: “Everything is about long-term partnership. Everything is about integrity.” (Vicky, 17:07)
• Post-acquisition Independence: Unilever, under Vasiliki Petro, shielded Tatcha from corporate meddling—“They put this firewall of protection around us.” (Vicky, 18:42)

6. E-Commerce & The Future: Live Shopping & TikTok

• On Live Shopping:
  • "TikTok is going to be the thing that eats everybody else." (Vicky, 20:36)
  • Most of her non-grocery purchases tracked back to TikTok influence, speaking to the platform’s seismic impact.

7. On Beauty Progress & Industry Shortcomings

• Diversity Wins: More diverse beauty and customer representations are being celebrated.
• Persistent Issues: Internalized sexism, ageism, racism, and colorism persist, perpetuated by both the industry and consumer expectations.
  • “The beauty and skincare industry and the norms it codifies, it goes all the way back to colonialism. We're fighting against history.” (Vicky, 24:00)
• Vicky chooses not to wear foundation, embracing the message: “We have to inspire people to love their own skin and their own bodies... I'm 47 years old. This is what my skin looks like.” (Vicky, 24:30)

8. Language Matters: Rejecting “Anti-Aging”

• Challenging Narratives: Refuses “anti-aging” language, but logistical and search realities create tension.
  • "We cannot demonize ourselves for living. The point is to live, right?" (Vicky, 26:03)
  • "If they don't like being demonized for getting older, then make your voices heard." (Vicky, 28:20)

The “Joyspan” Revolution: Okinawa, Longevity, and the New Tatcha Serum

1. Origin Story: Trip to Okinawa

• Suffering from burnout and physical symptoms, Vicky’s first trip to Okinawa marked a pivotal healing moment—mentally and physically.
  • "I came back to life in a way I didn't know was possible... after not even that many days of that, it actually undid years of damage." (Vicky, 31:36)

2. Redefining Longevity: From Lifespan to Joyspan

• Not about just living long:
  • “Longevity... it's also about healthspan... and a new word I just saw in the New York Times that I think really captures Okinawa: joyspan.” (Vicky, 32:22)
  • “Who wants to live to 100 if you're going to be in a hospital and no friends and depressed?” (Vicky, 32:43)

3. Longevity Serum: Science & Intention

• Formula R&D: Herbs from Okinawa, years of research, and Tatcha’s signature complex deliver not just correction, but prevention—especially of stress-accelerated aging (inflammaging).

  • "When they used these three herbs together and paired it with HADASEI-3... they found a way to stop the senescence cycle." (Vicky, 34:06)
  • 55% reduction in aging senescent cell markers, for both repair and prevention. (Brought up at 36:04)

• Eastern vs. Western Philosophy:

  • “In Asia, skincare has always been about prevention... here, it's about correction.”
  • “Now I think we're at the point where we can say... before will look like before.” (Vicky on prevention, 37:20)

4. Who Is It For?

• “People who are dealing with chronic stress in their lives and have the type of skin where stress shows up in their skin.” (Vicky, 50:53)

5. Memorable Quotes

• "It's going to just increase the joy span of your skin." (Vicky, 51:27)

Beauty at Midlife: Perimenopause, Hormones, and Self-kindness

• Candid Perimenopause Discussion: Vicky details her journey with hormone replacement therapy, noting restored sleep, mood, energy, and even kickboxing prowess—a rare and much-valued forthright discussion in beauty and wellness.
  • “Somewhere between three and six months, it was like a complete rewind in time.” (Vicky, 41:08)
  • "I feel like I'm going through puberty again... but there are also things you can do to help carry you through this change." (Vicky, 43:00)

Fan Favorites and Underrated Tatcha Gems

• Dewy Skin Cream: Year-over-year bestseller due to “comfort and healing”—the glow of health. (Vicky, 44:44, 45:31)
• Silken Sunscreen: Kirbie calls it “the better sunscreen” and laments it as an overlooked hero. (46:06)
• Tatcha Essence: Vicky’s personal favorite, developed over years.
  • “If you took everything away from me and that’s all I had, I would actually be okay.” (Vicky, 49:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• The reality of founder burnout and recovery: 01:36–02:26
• Post-acquisition realities and product integrity: 02:26–04:06
• Wellness tools for frantic founders: 04:12–05:23
• The deep costs of business hustle: 05:36–07:18
• Vicky’s survival mode & trauma, therapy story: 07:18–10:30
• Starting Tatcha and facing industry bias: 10:56–13:16
• The power and peril of QVC and Sephora partnerships: 14:30–18:13
• Unilever, brand independence, and protection: 18:27–19:48
• Live shopping and TikTok’s e-commerce dominance: 20:04–22:30
• How beauty has (and hasn’t) improved: 23:23–28:20
• Longevity, healthspan, and ‘joyspan’ concepts: 28:51–33:49
• Longevity Serum: science, prevention vs correction: 34:00–38:00
• Perimenopause and hormone balance journey: 40:08–44:22
• Fan favorites and underrated products: 44:28–50:43
• Who the Longevity Serum is for: 50:53–51:36

Notable Quotes

"If I could do anything over again from my career, I would have actually treated my body with more respect. I would have cared about my mental health instead of just treating myself like a rental car."
— Vicky Tsai (05:36)

"My coping mechanism at the time was just to disappear behind a smile... The more threatened I felt, the more scared I felt, the more I would just put the mask on."
— Vicky Tsai (08:00)

"It's not just about lifespan or healthspan, it's about joyspan."
— Vicky Tsai (32:22)

"We cannot demonize ourselves for living. The point is to live, right?"
— Vicky Tsai (26:03)

"Everything is about long-term partnership. Everything is about integrity."
— Vicky Tsai (17:07)

"It's going to just increase the joy span of your skin, for lack of a better way."
— Vicky Tsai (51:27)

Memorable Moments

• Vicky admitting most purchases are via TikTok:
  • "I looked at my credit card statement—I think like 90% of my purchases that aren't grocery are either from TikTok or Amazon." (20:43)
• Vicky showing up with her natural, curly hair and not wearing foundation as an act of self-acceptance: (24:30)
• The honest, vulnerable discussion of perimenopause and hormone therapy’s impact on her well-being and business life: (40:08)
• Kirbie's campaign for the Silken sunscreen:
  • “She carries it around... it is the better sunscreen.” (46:06)
• Vicky’s emotional support for the hosts' work:
  • “You’re doing your work with so much integrity. I am so proud of you.” (51:51)

Takeaways

• Vicky Tsai advocates for founders and women everywhere to prioritize well-being, authenticity, and joy—not just external markers of success or beauty.
• The new Longevity Serum embodies her philosophy, blending centuries-old holistic practices with cutting-edge skin science—focused not on anti-aging, but on “joyspan.”
• Tatcha’s continued integrity, partnership-first business approach, and healing ethos are championed throughout, with Vicky’s journey offering practical as well as profoundly personal insights for listeners both inside and outside the industry.